Ravenpaw's Destiny
by Ivypool
Summary: Ravenpaw is left alone after Barley died. What will Ravenpaw do now? After Barley is buried, Ravenpaw gets a message from Bluestar. She tells him to travel up river and find some cats in danger and bring them home. Who are these cats? And why dose he have to help them?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! :) Here is a new story I have made, Ravenpaw's Destiny. I hope you like it. :D**

A black cat sat at the entrance to a barn. He sat, tail curled tightly around him and grief filled eyes staring at a mound of dirt sticking out of the ground.

Rain fell gently, landing not even a mouse length away from the black cat's paws. Thunder roared in the distance, but the tom didn't look up.

That was Ravenpaw. Usually he would be curled up on a pile of hay, listening to the rain fall onto the barn roof with Barley curled asleep up next to him. But now he is sitting in the barn entrance, staring at a mound of dirt with dull, unseeing eyes. Alone.

He knew what was under that dirt. Barley. Barley was dead and Ravenpaw felt sure that he was never going to see his friend again. Or any of his other friends.

The Clans left the forest a full four season ago, and their territory had been replaced by farm land and a huge Thunderpath. Now that Barley was dead... he had no one.

Barley had died to save Ravenpaw. The Twolegs had gotten a new dog, a big one too, and it had gotten into the barn one night. Ravenpaw hadn't even heard it coming until it was too late.

By the time he noticed it, it was already in the barn. Ravenpaw had tried to run and climb up higher, but the dog was too fast. Just before it grabbed Ravenpaw, Barley had flung himself at it. Though his friend's act of bravery had saved Ravenpaw, it had killed himself.

That was only yesterday. Ravenpaw had held a silent vigil for his friend, and then buried him.

Ravenpaw stood up. He turned around, and slowly padded -head down and tail dragging- into the barn. He walked over to his favorite pile of hay and layed down. As he took in a deep breath, he could scent dog, mouse, and of course the lingering scent of Barley.

Ravenpaw listened to the rain hit the barn roof, and slowly fell into sleep.

* * *

Ravenpaw opened his eyes to find himself in a beautiful clearing. The grass was soft, ferns and colorful flowers grew along the edge of the clearing, in the trees birds sang and squirrels chittered, and the sun was warm on his black fur.

Ravenpaw looked around the clearing, slowly turning in a circle. Where was he? He came from his barn, to this amazing place.

"Ravenpaw." A voice meowed behind him. The black and white tom turned around to see a blue-gray she-cat walking out from underneath a clump of ferns and pad towards him. The stars in her fur showed that she was from Starclan. But this cat seemed familiar... Then it clicked.

"B-Bluestar?" Ravenpaw studdered, eyes wide. It couldn't be her! Why was she here?

"Hello, Ravenpaw." Bluestar purred, stopping a tail length away from him. "I have a message for you."

"For me?" Ravenpaw couldn't help but blurt out.

"Yes." Bluestar meowed. "I saw what happened to Barley, Ravenpaw. I'm sorry." Ravenpaw looked down at his paws, a fresh wave of grief washing over him. "But, I still have a message for you."

"Alright, tell me." Ravenpaw looked back up at his former leader and dipped his head respectfully.

Bluestar took a breath then said, "_Follow the river to its source, and find the cat's in danger. Through history they have been forgotten, but now it is their time to be known again. Only the Raven can bring the Sky home._"

Ravenpaw blinked, confused. He opened his mouth to say something, but Bluestar was already starting to vanish.

"Wait!" He called out. "Why me?" He yowled, "Who are these cats?" But Bluestar was already gone.

The wind ruffled his fur, and he could faintly make out the great leader's whisper, "Good luck, Ravenpaw. You'll need it."

**Alright, I understand that the prophecy is not that great, but whatever. Sorry the first chapter is short. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the wait, here is the next chapter. Thank you for reviewing, favoriteing, and following. :D**

**I almoust forgot that it was leaf-bare in this story, I will try to make it more realistic in the next few chapters.**

**Forestclaw- I guess you'll just have to wait and see. :3**

Ravenpaw opened his eyes to find himself back in his warm, dry barn. He stood and stretched, then shook pieces of hay from his pelt.

Ravenpaw sniffed the air, and then quickly tracked down a mouse and killed it. As he settled down to eat it he wondered about his dream.

Was it a real dream, or was it just his imagination? Half of him wanted it to be real, half of him didn't. He had always felt weak and useless, maybe this was going to help him with that. But then he would have to leave his barn...

Ravenpaw thought again of the prophecy. Go up river to the sky? Ravenpaw wondered what Bluestar had meant as 'Sky'.

"_Follow the river to its source, and find the cat's in danger. Through history they have been forgotten, but now it is their time to be known again. Only the Raven can bring the Sky home._" Ravenpaw repeated the prophecy in his head.

As he finished his mouse he was thinking of reasons to leave, and reasons to stay. If he left, he could go new places and meet new friends, maybe even feel like he is needed again. But if he stayed he would for sure have shelter and as much mice as he could ever want... But without Barley.

It would never be the same without Barley.

Ravenpaw stood up, licking the flavor of mouse from his whiskers. He padded out of the barn, narrowing his eyes against the cold early morning leaf-bare sun. It had stopped raining over night and now there where frozen puddles all over the ground and the grass was heavy with cold dropps of water.

Ravenpaw fluffed up his fur against the cold air and walked over to the mound of Earth and looked down at it, eyes tearing up with emotion. "Good bye Barley. I'll miss you. You've been a great friend, and I couldn't have wished for any better." He paused, choked with emotion, then turned away.

Go up river... Ravenpaw sighed. The only river he knew of was the one in Clan territory.

He turned to look at the territory where Windclan used to live. Now the open, grassy moor land had turned into flat, bare land where huge monsters and Twolegs roared and ran about doing Starclan knows what.

Ravenpaw started his long journey by padding down the grassy slope and onto the land where Windclan used to be. He paused, pelt prickling. He hadn't even set a paw on any clan territory since they had left.

In front of him was a large stretch of flat dirt, and many monsters. The monsters where huge and an unnatural gleaming yellow, with large black paws that left tracks every where they whent. But the monsters seemed to be sleeping now, as they did not make a sound and their eyes did not shine like they usually did. There where also no Twolegs in sight.

It must be too early for them to be awake, Ravenpaw realilized. He cautiously stepped forward, stepping lightly with all his scenses working to scence any change or movement in the huge monsters.

Ravenpaw took in a breath, tasteing the air. He immediately wished he hadn't. The strong, sickening scent of fresh monsters and Twolegs hit his scent glands, making him gag. He snapped his mouth closed quickly.

Ravenpaw held his breath as he moved quickly but cautiously through the territory. Before long he was past the stretch of flat dirt and at the place where the Windclan and Thunderclan border used to be.

He gazed, wide eyed at the sight before him. "No... Oh no..." Ravenpaw froze, and could only stare in horror at the sight before him.

Here used to be tall trees and thick undergrowth, but now that was all gone, ripped and torn away by the Twolegs and their monsters.

The ground was bare besides a few patches of grass or a couple rocks here or there, and everywhere were stumps of trees.

For a second Ravenpaw could imagine the forest before the Twolegs came, before the clans left, when he was still a Thunderclan apprentice. Such a beautiful place...

But then he blinked and it vanished like thin dawn mist under the hot sun. Ravenpaw stood there for a short moment, wishing that it could have stayed like that. That he could have just stayed an apprentice with Firestar and Graystripe, but he knew what would have happened if he had stayed. He would have died, murdered by Tigerstar.

A sudden gowl behind him ripped the thoughts away from Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw whirred around to see a monster roar to life, a Twoleg in it's belly. Dust clouds flew into the air as it's round paws began to move.

Around it, more Twolegs walked and shouted to each other, some hoping into the other yellow monsters and waking them too.

Ravenpaw turned and fled into where Thunderclan territory used to be. The stumps and clumps of grass blured as he ran. When he was sure he was a safe distance away, he slowed to an easy trot.

Ravenpaw turned off his path and headed for the camp. He knew he would regret ever visiting this place again, but he _had _to know what happened to the camp.

He padded up a short slope then stopped. He stopped at a ledge. Down below was the camp... or what was left of it...

The highrock was cracked, an old fallen tree broken in half over it. The tree at the apprentice den was bare, bark starting to peal away, the elders tree stump was burnt and rotting. A stream ran through the camp, almoust touching the elders den and apprentice den. Pieces of ferns and grass where still growing in some places but just barely.

Ravenpaw slowly and carefully made his way down into the middle of camp. He slowly turned in a circle. He knew that the Twolegs had destroyed the camp but seeing it for real...

Ravenpaw took a long, shaky breath. He walked over to the old den that remained unharmed. The medicine cat den.

The padded through the crack in the rock and into the den. He sniffed around, hopeing for the faintest scent of Thunderclan to still be there. But he got nothing. The the scent of rock, dust, and a few old dried up scraps of herbs.

Ravenpaw sighed and padded out of the den. He sight of the canp pained him, and he couldn't look at it any more. He couldn't look at the Thunderclan camp all torn up and ripped apart, not even a lingering scent of his freinds.

He hoped that they, all the Clans, had found good new homes where they can live in peace and not have to worry about Twolegs. He made a mental note to talk ask Bluestar if the Clans where safe next time he saw her, if he ever did.

He climbed back up the ledge and walked to the river. As he got closer the surroundings didn't change, still all tree stumps and clumps of grass. He stopped at the river's edge, and watched the cold water flow by. It was leaf-bare so the water was cold, but the weather was still too warm for the water to freeze. It seemed to be the only thing alive.

He took one last glance at the old Thunderclan territory, and then turned away. He followed the river into a monster free part of the territory, right now it was untouched but he knew that if he waited another moon or two, the Twolegs would be all over this area.

As he followed the river and walked along the top of the gorge, he started to wonder again why Ravenpaw was the one that was picked to do this, and what he was doing anyways. He knew that he had to find some cats in danger, and the sky had to do something with it. Was that a cat's name or the name of a group? He didn't know.

* * *

The gorge came to an end and Windclan territory was left behind. The cliffs of the gorge sloped down until they became sandy banks again. Ravenpaw was glad to be off Clan territory, it made him feel sad and lonely to see the four territories how they where now.

The moor land turned to farmland, and Ravenpaw felt better as he walked on a narrow track between a hedge and a field of wheat. This reminded him of his barn home, but here there was no barn in sight.

The scent of mice made his mouth water, but he kept going. He had eaten before he left, and didn't need to eat again. As he padded on, the cold leaf-bare sun moved over the sky until it was sinking in the distance and the sky glowed with orange and pink.

His paws felt sore from all the walking, and he felt more tired then he had been in a long time. He knew the traveling by night was easier and much quicker, because you don't have to worry as much about being seen, but right now all he wanted to do was rest.

He found a birch tree and layed down in a hollow among the roots. It wasn't the best shelter, but it would do for now.

In the morning, Ravenpaw woke up to a loud noise. He carefully made his way out of the hollow and into the open. He stood on a narrow path and opened his jaws to draw in the scent.

He couldn't smell anything, it must he upwind from him. But before Ravenpaw could do anything else, a brown-and-white dog appeared from behind him. It was running fast, it's brown and white paws kicking up dirt and dust as it ran, eyes wild. Two Twolegs ran after it, yowling and calling for it.

Ravenpaw froze, eyes wide.

**Sorry if the chapter was a little boring. I think it whent pretty well though.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here is the update, I hope you like it. :)**

**Lilly Kitty- I know he dose, I have read it. But I was so sad when I heard that, I started to plan a story for him. I really almost cried, Ravenpaw is one of the best characters!**

Ravenpaw froze, eyes wide. As the dog closed the distance between them, Ravenpaw turned and flead up the path. The birch tree he had sheltered by would be too thin and weak to climb, the branches would bend and maybe even break under his weight.

Ravenpaw ran, and dove into a hedge, the dog's jaws snapping a mouse legth from his white tail tip. Ravenpaw climbed through the branches and leaves and burst into the open on the other side.

He was standing in yet another empty wheat field, rows and rows of earth stretching as far as he could see. Wheat would be planted here later, in new-leaf.

Ravenpaw flead down one of the rows, he glanced back to see the dog trying to force its way through the hedge. But right before it pushed past the last branch, the Twolegs grabed the dog's blue collar and draged it away. The Twoleg growled and yelled at it as they held onto the collar.

The dog whined and barked and growled, strugling to break away from the Twolegs and continue chasing Ravenpaw. It's big paws left scratch marks on the earth.

Ravenpaw sat down, catching his breath and listening as the Twolegs and the dog left the way they had come.

He let out a breath of relief when the noise faded into the distance. He stood up and glanced around. His growling belly reminded him that he hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. He knew he should hunt, but to hunt he would have to get out of this empty field, and that might lead to losing the river he had been following.

Ravenpaw sighed and padded back to the path he had been walking along. He spotted the Twolegs leading their dog away in the opposite direction. Ravenpaw felt a little better when he saw it dragging it's tail on the ground and walking slowly, dagging it's paws.

He padded along his path, river on the left and the hedge that separated him from the field on his right.

After walking for was seemed like moons, he saw a copse up ahead. Ravenpaw broke into a run, belly growling at the thought of a plump mouse or maybe a squirrel.

Ravenpaw stopped at the edge of the trees and drew in a breath, he could smell bird, vole, and squirrel.

He decided to go after the squirrel, it may be harder to catch but he hadn't eaten that kind of meat in a long time.

He got in a hunting crouch and followed the smell until he could see it in between two clumps of grass, it was too busy focusing on a nut or seed between it's small paws to notice Ravenpaw only two fox-lengths away.

Ravenpaw padded forward, stepping lightly. He paused within pouncing distance, then jumped. He landed with the squirrel between his paws and killed it with a swift bite to the neck.

Feeling happy with his catch, he settled down in a warm patch of sunlight to eat. But right as he was about to take a bite, he heard a voice.

"Hurry up!" A young she-cat's voice called.

"Wait for me!" Another small she-cat's voice yelled. "You know I'm smaller then you two."

"Your also fatter." A young tom's voice laughed.

Suddenly two little kittens bounded around the bush next to Ravenpaw. A smaller one followed, panting heavily as it tried to keep up.

"Hey, kits!" Ravenpaw called as they ran past him, not even noticing him.

The first two froze, the third skidded and ran into the only tom. All three turned to stare at him with wide eyes.

Ravenpaw looked the kits over. The only tom was a light ginger tabby with bright green eyes that reminded him of Firestar. He looked strong under his fluffy kit fur.

The bigger she-cat was tortoiseshell-and-white with blue eyes. Though she was bigger then the other she-cat, she was skinnier and her ribs showed. Her pelt was ruffled and dirty.

The smaller she-cat was a plump pale gray tabby. Her paws where white and her eyes where blue. She was clearly the runt of the litter, but looked more cared for.

"Who are you?" The tom kit demanded, pushing his way in front of his sisters.

Ravenpaw looked down at the kits, whiskers twitching. They looked about two and a half moons old. They may act strong, but they didn't look like it.

"Y-Your're not going to h-hurt us a-are you?" The gray tabby shrank back, and the tortoiseshell-and-white curled her tail protectively over her smaller sister.

"Of course not." Ravenpaw pushed the squirrel to the side and crouched down to be eye level with them. "My name's Ravenpaw, what's yours?" He tried to sound friendly.

The three kits glanced at each other. The tom slowly turned to look back at Ravenpaw while the two she-cats looked at their paws.

"Don't you have names?" Ravenpaw asked surprised.

The tom hesitated then shook his head slowly.

"Parents?"

The tom shook his head again.

The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat spoke, "Our mom left us a few days ago, we never had a dad. Mom only left us with one mouse to eat. I didn't have any, though. My littermtes needed it more."

"You look hungry." Ravenpaw sat up and pushed the squirrel between him and them. "You can have it, all of it."

"What did you do to it?" The ginger tabby demanded. "Poison it?"

"Of course not." Ravenpaw blinked in surprise. "I just caught it. Do you want it, or can I have it? I'd be happy to share."

The tom looked back at his sisters. "Fine. But she eats first." He flicked his tail towards the tortoiseshell sister, who was the skinniest of them all.

"No I'm fine." The tortoiseshell sat down stubbornly. "Not until you two eat." She looked longingly at the prey, but didn't move from where she sat.

"While you three eat," Ravenpaw pushed the prey closer to them, "I'll go hunt for my oun prey."

They didn't seem to hear him, but he stood up and padded away anyways. He easily caught a bird and returned to see all three kits hungrily eating the squirrel. Even though he wanted the squirrel more, he let the three have it.

They looked up at him as he sat down and started tearing feathers from the bird.

When they where all finished with their prey, Ravenpaw licked his lips and watched the three kits. "Do you have anywhere to go? Or anyone to take care of you?"

"No." The ginger tabby sighed.

"We got lost yesterday, now we can't find our den." The gray kit added.

"I can take care of you." Ravenpaw tokd them. "If you want." He added quickly. "I can give you prey and protection and training, all you have to do is follow me up the river."

He wasn't sure how this was going to affect his journey, or what Starclan thought of it, but he wouldn't let three tiny kits wander around unknown territory on their own. They would die without someone to hunt and fight for them.

They two sisters pressed against each other, while the tom looked back at them. The ginger tabby turned to back to Ravenpaw after many long heartbeats, swallowing uneasily. "Fine. But if you lay a claw on one of my sisters, I'll... I'll..."

"I promis I wont hurt you, or your sisters." Ravenpaw purred. He would have felt really bad leaving them here. He was actually glad that they trusted him and where smart enough to come with him. He could have saved three lives just now.

"Then I think the first thing I'll do is name you." Ravenpaw said. He purred as they looked at him excitedly. He looked at the three kits closely again.

Then he touched his nose to the ginger tabby's head. "You will now be known as Flame." The tom's ginger fur and his bright green eyes reminded him of Firestar. But because the leader is not a tabby, and this kit is, he named him Flame instead of Fire.

He touched his head to the tortoiseshell-and-white kit's next. "You will now be known as Maple." He finally touched his nose to the pale gray tabby she-cat. "You will now be known as Misty."

"Thank you." Misty purred, giving a little excited bounce. Maple purred and pressed her nose to her brother's fur. Flame stood looking proud, puffing out his chest.

Ravenpaw laughed at them, then said, "It's getting late. I'm going on a journey up river, so we need to get moving again tomorrow. We need to go to sleep."

"What journey?" Maple asked curiously.

"Lets all lay down and I'll tell you as you." Ravenpaw padded over to the trunk of a tree and layed down in between two roots. The kits hurried over and layed down close to him.

Misty layed curled up between his paws, and Maple layed curled up by his hind leg so he curled his tail around her. Flame layed stretched out on his belly, pressing close to Ravenpaw.

He felt more like a queen now then a loner on a mission. He snorted at the thought and then started his story:

"A long time ago, I grew up in a place called Thunderclan. There where four clans Thunderclan, Shadowclan, Riverclan, and Windclan. A clan is..." He told the kits about his Clan, the cats he grew up with, why he left the Clan, and why he was on this journey. They agreed to come with him, and he agreed to keep them safe.

**Not the best ending, but here it is. You'll see more of the kits' personalities as the story goes.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is the next chapter. :D Hope you like it.**

**RAINBOWPOOPINCAT- Thanks for reminding me! :)**

For the next two day, Ravenpaw followed the river through long empty feilds. On the third day they left the feilds through a hole in the hedge. They padded down a stretch of rough grass that lead down to the river.

Rushes grew in thick clumps at the edge of the river, and the cool breeze rattled them together. Ravenpaw could scent vole and waterbirds in the air.

Right now it was late at night, but they kept walking. Ravenpaw had found it easyer to travel at night, when he wouldn't be seen by dogs or Twolegs or anything else that might hurt him. This meant it was a little harder to travel, and prey was harder to catch, but he was okay with it.

Ravenpaw fluffed up his fur against the cold, and pulled the shivering kits closer to him. Their breath billowed in the cold night air. _Maybe we should stop to rest. _Ravenpaw thought. _The kits wont be able to go any farther with it being this cold._

He picked up Misty by the scruff. She had been falling behind. Holding her close to his chest, he searched for a place to stop. He saw a bush and thought that would do for now.

Ravenpaw led the kits to it. He set Misty down, then forced his way into it. He pushed on the branches before he made a good sized shelter. "Come on in." He called to the kits.

He watched as the three littermates padded in and curled up next to him for warmth. He knew the nights where getting colder, but he hadn't expected this one to be this cold.

"We will be traveling by day again." He promised them as they fell asleep. He hated to see Flame, Maple, and Misty shivering and cold in the night. He was trying to protect them, not freeze them.

He easily fell asleep. In the morning he woke to the kit's excited meows.

"What is it?" Misty asked in wonder. Ravenpaw opened her eyes to see all three kits standing at the entrance to their little shelter.

"I don't know." Flame shook his head. "Is it safe? I'm not letting you leave if it will hurt you." He growled.

"Is what safe?" Ravenpaw yawned. He stretched the best he the den as he stood.

"Come see!" Maple said, flicking her tail for him to come closer.

Ravenpaw padded over to look out of the den. He stood over the kits as he looked out. Outside small white snowflakes fell from the sky, and melted once they touched the ground.

"That's just snow." Ravenpaw purred. "It can't hurt you." He pushed his way out of the warm den and into the cold dawn air outside. His pelt prickled as snow fell on it.

Though it was snowing, it was too light to stick and gather on the ground. It wouldn't bother them as they moved up river.

"Come on out." Ravenpaw beckoned the kits closer with his tail.

Flame was the first on out, Misty following close behind. Maple hesitated before stepping out as well.

Flame flinched as a snow flake landed on his nose. "It's cold!" He meowed in surprise.

"I like it." Misty purred and batted at the snow flakes as they fell. Maple stared up at them in with wide eyes.

Ravenpaw purred at them. "This is called snow. In leaf-bare snow will cover the ground and turn everything white."

"How can these cover the ground?" Flame asked, watching as they melted on his ginger pelt. "They're too small, aren't they?"

"They may be small, but when the weather is cold enough, there are lots of them." Ravenpaw answered. "But right now it's not cold enough for them to stay long."

"Is leaf-bare soon?" Maple asked, looking at the leaf-less trees now, a few leaves barely holding on.

"Almost." Ravenpaw answered. "We still have another moon." He silently wondered how he was going to hunt for himself and the three kits when leaf-bare came.

"You three stay here, I'm going hunting by the river." Ravenpaw told them, padding away. He looked back to make sure they weren't following, then padded on.

As he neared the river he sniffed the air. He caught the scent of vole, and heard a small creature moving between some reads a few fox legths away.

Ravenpaw got down low and padded after it. He leapt, and killed it with a clean bite to the neck. He tasted the air was couldn't get any more prey scents. He would have to hunt again later.

Ravenpaw picked up the vole and hurried back to the kits, hopeing it would still be warm for them to eat.

He set down the vole next to Flame, who was watching his sisters play in the snow.

"Hey look, Ravenpaw's back!" Misty exclaimed, shoving Maple off and running over to eat.

"What is this?" Maple raced after her and skidden to a stop in front of the prey. She poked it with a paw. "It kind of looks like a mouse."

"It's a vole." Ravenpaw explained as he pushed it closer to them. "Eat. We have to get going soon."

The kits nodded in understanding and bit into the vole.

"It like it." Maple mumbled around a mouthful, before swallowing and eating more. Once all tree kits where done, and the vole was gone, Ravenpaw led the kits up the river again.

Before long a familiar sound reached his ears. It was a deep, roaring noise. He could taste a harsh smell in the air. Monsters! "There is a Thunderpath up ahead." Ravenpaw hissed. He didn't want to cross with the three kits.

"Thunderpath?" Flame asked. "What's that?"

"Tunderpaths are large, flat, black stone that monsters run back and forth on." Ravenpaw explained. "And a monster is a huge, gleaming animal that will carry Twolegs in their belly and can kill a cat with it's big paws."

"Kill a cat?" Misty's eyes widened. Flame stiffened beside her.

"Don't worry. Theu don't usually leave their path." Ravenpaw meowed, but shuddered at the memory of the Clans' territories getting torn apart by huge Monsters. "Just stay off the path and you'll be okay. And if we have to cross, stay close to me." The kits nodded, understanding.

As Ravenpaw rounded a bend in the river, he saw a Twoleg bridge made of stone. Monsters ran across it, back and forth.

"Good." Ravenpaw sighed in relief. "It goes over the river. We can just walk underneath. Come on," He looked back at the kits.

Misty looked terrified of the path and the gleaming monsters. Maple's pelt bristled. And Flame stood looking determined, but his eyes gave away his worry and how scared he was. This was the first Thunderpath they have ever seen.

"It's okay." Ravenpaw meowed gently, trying to get them to walk forward. "They can't hurt us if we go under it."

Flame nodded and padded to stand next to Ravenpaw, Maple joining heartbeats later. Only Misty stayed.

"It's okay, Misty." Ravenpaw promised. "It's always scary the first time you see it. I remember my first time." Misty swallowed, then joined them.

Ravenpaw licked her ear before leading the kits forward. They kept close to him as they slowly padded under it. The stones where damp and water dripped from the arch and into the river.

Ravenpaw pulled the kits close to him as a beam of light from a monster's eye shown above them. Suddenly the roar was all around them, echoing and reechoing off the stone and water. He heard Misty whine beneith him.

"Come on, lets go." Ravenpaw hurried the kits out of under the bridge and into the daylight on the other side once the monster had ran past.

He ran with them away from the bridge and along the river bank. They continued until he couldn't hear the monsters and the Thunderpath was far away.

He sat down, panting. Maple and Flame flopped down onto the ground and tried to catch their breath. Misty pressed, shaking and shivering against Ravenpaw's belly.

He bent down to lick her fur. It was wet from the still falling snow.

"I thought we where crow-food!" Maple gasped.

"I wouldn't let that happen to you." Ravenpaw promised her. His pads stung from the stone, but he ignored it and continued licking Misty to calm her.

When the kits settled down, they continued along the river again, Misty still staying close to Ravenpaw.

He limped, his paws hurting, but he kept on going. As he walked on, he noticed the kits getting tired. He put Misty on his back and held Maple by the scruff. Flame being the strongest of the three, stumbled after Ravenpaw, hissing to himself that he wasn't going to sleep and he was going to keep going.

Soon the sun started going down again, turning the cold river to a bright flame color. He hadn't been able to hunt again today, and his stomach growled, but he couldn't hunt now. They needed a place to rest.

Ravenpaw found a clump of reeds and layed down in the middle of them, pushing them into an uncomfortable, but dry, nest. He sighed, and set down Maple next to Flame. Misty tirely slid off his back and pushed her way to his front paws. She layed between them, and Ravenpaw gently layed his head on her side.

Misty purred and everyone fell asleep before long.

In the morning Ravenpaw woke to a kit standing on top of him. He opened his eyes to see that it was Flame. Flame's pelt was bristling and his eyes where wide.

Maple and Misty where trying to look out of the clump reeds but wouldn't leave them.

"What's wrong?" Ravenpaw asked the kit who was standing on his side.

Flame jumped off and whispered, "There is a Twoleg outside!"

Ravenpaw jumped up and padded over to Misty and Maple. He poked his head out of the reeds and saw two Twolegs. They sat on two large rocks by the edge of the water amd held long, thin sticks in their paws.

One Twoleg shouted excitedly as his pole bent. He pulled and reeled in a string attached to the end. As he pulled it out of the water, a fish appeared at the end of the sting.

"They are... fishing?" Ravenpaw watched the other Twoleg grab the fish and put it in a large blue square object.

"I have never had fish before." Misty meowed. "An we eat it?"

"Yes, you can." Ravenpaw answered. "But I've never had any. I'm no Riverclan cat." He shook his head. "I'll see if I can get you one later, though. But for now, we need to get out of here."

"How?" Maple asked, looking up at him.

Ravenpaw paused, then meowed, "When I say go, run up the river as fast as you can. Don't stop running until I say so. Got it?" He knew they might have a chance of being caught, but he couldn't think of any better plan. He wished that his friends where here, usually they where the ones who came up with plans.

"Okay." Flame agreed, padding up to his sisters.

Ravenpaw watched the Twolegs. As their pole stick bent, and one let out an excited yowl, Ravenpaw yelled, "Go! Now!"

He had wanted to wait until the Twolegs where busy before they ran.

The three kits bounded up the river. Ravenpaw emerged from the reeds and ran after them. He heard a surprised shout from the Twolegs behind him, but didn't stop running.

Every instinct told him to run past the kits and find safety, but he had promised them that he wouldn't leave him. He wouldn't let them get taken.

To his relief, the Twolegs didn't chase them. "We can stop now!" He told the kits, and they slowed ro a stop. Ravenpaw looked back at the Twolegs to see them starring back. "They aren't going to come after us. We're fine." Ravenpaw decided.

They walke on for a while until Misty announced, "I'm thirsty."

"I could use somethimg to eat." Maple looked up at Ravenpaw.

"Okay." Ravenpaw sighed, his belly growling too. He wasn't sure when was the last time he ate. "You can go drink from the river. Be careful though, and don't fall in."

The three kits nodded and hurried off. Ravenpaw took this time to go over to a tree and climb his way up. He sat on a leafless branch and looked between the twigs to see a Twoleg's nest up ahead. It was close to the river, but there where no Twolegs outside.

A white wooden fence enclosed the nest, and where a garden should be there was the same hard black stuff as a Thunderclan. One or two monsters crouched there alone.

Ravenpaw jumped down from the tree and walked over to where the kits were. "There's a Twoleg nest up ahead." He told them. "But I don't think it will bother us."

The kits looked up from where they were lapping water from the river.

Ravenpaw bent down to drink some too. He shivered at how cold it was. He stood up and padded away. "I'll be back, I'm going hunting."

"I want to come!" Maple said, following him a few steps.

"Your too little." Ravenpaw said gently. "Ask when your six moons old."

"But-" Maple stopped, knowing not to argue. "Fine." She padded back to Misty and Flame, tail down.

Ravenpaw watched them for a moment before turning away and going hunting.

**Sorry if it's a bit long. Did you like it?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it has been so long. I just got distracted for a while.**

For half a moon, they continued up the river. The four cats passed Twolegs nests, Thunderpaths, dogs, even a waterfall. Thankfully, the only ingeries they had gotten was a thorn in Flame's paw or a few small scratches. But Ravenpaw easily fixed them.

Now they where separated from the river by a tall cliff edge. The path beside the river had almost vanished, so they had to climb higher.

Now there where a few scraggly bushes and clumps of tough grass growing between reddish rocks and sandy patches. There where a few small trees. In the distance there was a Twoleg place.

Ravenpaw flattened his ears against the wind that ruffled his fur. Behind him the three kittens walked. It was early morning so the kits where still a little sleepy.

Ravenpaw tasted the air and froze. He could smell a strong scent of cats. As he looked around, he noticed that this might be a border to some cat's territory.

He was about to follow the border and go around, but then he remembered that he had to bring the 'Sky' home. Maybe the 'Sky' was a cat.

"Let's take a rest." Ravenpaw meowed aloud. He sank to the ground and layed on a patch of sandy soil. Misty crawled onto his flank and just layed there.

Ravenpaw flicked his tail back and forth as Maple started to play with it. And Flame sat, looking as if he was on guard.

After a long moment, Flame yelled, "Look, Ravenpaw! Cats!"

Ravenpaw looked over to see four cats padding towards them. The one in the lead was a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat. Next to her was a black tom, a young ginger she-cat, and a brown tom.

They headed strait for Ravenpaw. As they neared, Ravenpaw gently shook off Misty and sat up.

"Who are you?" The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat demanded, standing on her side of the border. Behind her, the three ther cats stood with their pelts bristling.

"I am Ravenpaw." He told her. "And this is Misty, Maple, and Flame."

"Hi!" Misty purred, not understanding that they could get hurt by these cats.

The she-cat stared at Misty with amusement in her eyes. "Hello, little one." She purred back, sounding a lot less threatening now.

"Wait." The black tom spoke up, steping forward. He stopped looking hostile and looked more curious now. "Did you say Ravenpaw?"

"Yeah." Ravenpaw shifted where he sat. He felt uncomfortable under the cats' now curious and suspicious gazes. "Why?"

"That's a Clan name." The black tom said, surprised. "What Clan are you from? You're definitely not Skyclan."

_What is Skyclan? _Ravenpaw wondered silently. "Um," Ravenpaw paused. Should he really be telling these strange cats this sort of information? How do they even know what a Clan is? This was really far from his barn, and the Clans had went in the opposite direction when they left. "Thunderclan." He finally answered.

"Thunderclan!" The ginger she-cat's eyes widened. "Wow!" She breathed. "Do you know a cat named Firestar?"

"Know him? He's one of my best friends." Ravenpaw purred in reply.

"You look a bit old to be an apprentice." The brown tom's eyes narrowed. "And why do you have three kits with you?"

"Um..." Ravenpaw trailed off, glancing back at the kits. He would rather not tell these cats personal information like that.

"That doesn't matter." The first cat spoke before he could answer, shaking her head. "I am Cherrytail, warrior of Skyclan. This is Rockshade, Rabbitleap, and Firepaw."

"Skyclan?" Ravenpaw couldn't help but blurt out. What was Skyclan? "I've never heard of a Skyclan."

Cherrytail's pelt bristled, but all she said was, "Come on, let's bring you to Leafstar. Everything will be explained then."

Ravepaw nodded and flicked his tail for the kits to follow. Cheerytail led the group with Ravenpaw and the kits close behind. At the rear of the patrol, Rabbitleap and Rockshade walked. Firepaw trotted along next to Rockshade, who Ravenpaw assumed was her mentor.

Cherrytail soon led them down a rocky path to the bottom of the gorge. At the bottom Ravenpaw could see a few cats laying around or sharing tongues on warm, flat rocks.

He could see that the used caves for all their dens, but couldn't tell which one is which just by looking at them.

"I'll take you to Leafstar." Cherrytail meowed as they stopped at the bottom of the path. "Rockshade, Rabbitleap, Firepaw, you may go now."

Firepaw nodded quickly and bounced off. Rabbitleap headed for the fresh-kill pile, and Rockshade padded over to a small group of cats.

Cherrytail led Ravenpaw and the three kits across the camp and to the cave that Ravenpaw guessed was the leader's den.

"Leafstar!" Cherrytail called as she stopped outside the den. "We have a visitor!"

"Come in." A call sounded from somewhere inside.

Cherrytail pushed her way in first, closely followed by Ravenpaw and Flame, Maple, and Misty.

"Who is this?" A dappled light brown tabby sat up in her nest. Her green eyes watched Ravenpaw carefully.

"Leafstar, this is Ravenpaw." Cherrytail introduced him as Ravenpaw dipped his head respectfully. "He is from Thunderclan."

"Thunderclan?" Leafstar's eyes widened in surpirse. "How is Firestar? Is he okay?"

"He's good, him and Sandstorm have two kits, both she-cats." Ravenpaw purred, then added quietly, "Well, I think he's okay."

"You think?" Leafstar's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"It's..." Ravenpaw swallowed uneasily. "It's a long story. I'll have to explain later."

"Alright." Leafstar sat back in her nest again. "So why are you here, Ravenpaw?"

"I-I had a sign from Starclan." Ravenpaw answered hesitantly. "A message from the leader before Firestar, Bluestar."

Leafstar paused before turning to Cherrytail and saying, "Could you please bring Echosong? She would like to hear this."

"Who's Echosong?" Ravenpaw asked as Cherrytail nodded and left the den.

"Echosong is my medicine cat." Leafstar answered. "Her apprentice is Frecklewish, but she is out collecting herbs right now."

Ravenpaw nodded slowly. A few heartbeats after, Cherrytail padded over again. This time a small silver-gray tabby she-cat was with her.

"Cherrytail explained to me what is happening." Echosong said as she sat down in the leader's den. "So your Ravenpaw?" Cherytail backed wordlessly out of the den and padded away.

Ravenpaw dipped his head respectfully. "I am."

"So what is this message you have gotten?" Echoson asked.

"I got this message though a dream." Ravenpaw explained, looking from her to Leafstar and back. "Bluestar, the leader before Firestar, came to me. She told me, a prophecy. It was: '_Follow the river to its source, and find the cat's in danger. Through history they have been forgotten, but now it is their time to be known again. Only the Raven can bring the Sky home.' _"

"The Sky?" Leafstar asked, sounding confused. "Like Skyclan?"

"I don't know." Ravenpaw shrugged, then added quietly, "I've never even heard of Skyclan. How do you know of Firestar?"

"It seems that we both have stories to tell." Leafstar purred softly. "But now is not the time."

"Leafstar, I think that Ravenpaw should stay here." Echosong meowed. "At least until we understand this prophecy. We aren't in any danger, but the prophecy dose talk about a 'Sky', which might be Skyclan. And, the river stops not too far from here." She glanced down at the three kits who had been watching the conversation silently, not leaving Ravenpaw's side. "And I don't think it'll be good for the kits to continue."

"Okay." Leafstar nodded. "Ravenpaw, have you finished your training?"

He knew what she meant right away. "No. But I can still hunt and fight. I've hunted for myself and for friends, and have fought in battles."

"Would you like to continue training?" Leafstar asked.

Ravenpaw paused. He had known this question was coming. But did he really want to be in a Clan again. He looked down at the kits. "Of course." He answered.

**That's it. Sorry it took forever. Please review.**


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